It is not difficult to imagine the rapid growth in illegal mining activities on the back of the recent hike in the price of gold, and any other mined resource for that matter. Illegal mining is the author of a remorseless tale of death, violence, theft, loss in production, labour concerns and, ultimately, unsafe and unhealthy mining conditions.

In my article History written as farce (without prejudice October 2009 pp 6) I expressed the hope that the Constitutional Court would grant a final order bringing into effect the interim mechanism proposed by it on August 31 2009 by which judgement creditors of the state can enforce payment of their debts. This hope has been realised.

Ten years ago, I completed the setup of a hedge fund for the first time. It was a regulated fund based in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) and after submitting a copy of the Memorandum and Articles and a standard application form to the BVI regulator, our client was in business as a fund promoter. My nostalgia for the days of "light touch" regulation is matched only by my more experienced colleagues' wistful reminiscing of the days when a fund could be set up without any regulatory approval at all.

Ever wondered why "hedge funds" are called hedge funds? In 1949 Alfred Winslow Jones (an Australian) established what is regarded as the first hedge fund by effectively combining two investment tools - short selling and leverage - to protect his portfolio of securities in a falling market.

Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, Twitter, and other social networks have enjoyed tremendous growth in recent years. These networks can help entrepreneurs and businesses locate the right resources, learn about potential business partners and recruit new employees.

Members of pension and medical schemes need to be provided with information - and they need to understand it. So, is there a legal obligation for these schemes to communicate in all or an official language of choice?

Transacting in "Francophone" Africa throws up a range of issues for business people who are more accustomed to doing deals in common law jurisdictions or in hybrid Roman-Dutch law based jurisdictions in Southern Africa. The term "Francophone" in "Francophone Africa" refers to those parts of the continent where the French language is an official language.

Among the toughest decisions for prospective buyers in the leisure boating market, is what type of boat is best? I've recently discovered that it is not a matter of what's right or wrong - personal choice is what counts.

South Africa's construction sector has rebuffed the global recessionary headwinds remarkably well. So, a doff of the cap to the posthumous Charles Dempsey, the veteran Kiwi football administrator whose abstention from the vote cost South Africa hosting rights for the 2006 Football World Cup. How grateful we South Africans are to have this global football extravaganza on our doorstep in the teeth of economic hurricanes hitherto unseen. And a secondary acknowledgement to the short-sighted South African government who's dilly-dallying over infrastructure maintenance and expansion has led to a situation where construction firms will be gainfully employed for decades to come.